here - ACOREMA

Commissioners Buenos Aires Group October 25, 2011 Dear Commissioners, The undersigned organizations would like to express our deep concern about the recent announcement made by the government of Japan to resume from next December the so called “scientific” whaling in the Southern Ocean – with an increase of 28 million dollars of State funding – as well as the statements made by the Japanese Fisheries Minister, Michiniko Kano, in respect to the “improvement of the security” of the Antarctic whaling fleet. Since the implementation of the moratorium on commercial whaling, the Japanese government has captured more than eight thousand whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Since the JARPA II program began in 2006, the annual whaling quota increased to almost half of all whales taken under 1
special permits per year , reaching levels that are similar to the commercial whaling annual quota for the Antarctic minke whale before the implementation of the moratorium. Apart from being a cover-­‐up for commercial whaling operations thus violating the moratorium on commercial whaling, the "scientific" whaling program conducted by the Japanese government in Antarctica represents a growing and alarming threat to the governance of the Southern Ocean, the security of human life at sea and protection of the sensitive Antarctic marine ecosystem. The challenging position of the government of Japan, of sending a patrol ship to protect the whaling crew, seriously threatens the principles established by the Antarctic Treaty as zone of peace free of weapeons. This situation is even more worrisome because of the lack of transparency of the Japanese Government regarding the type of boat, defense personnel and instruments that would be used in the protection of the whaling fleet. Additionally, the Japanese government reported it would take "other measures" to deal with the demonstrations at sea, without revealing any information. In this complex context, we believe that the defense of peace and demilitarization of the Antarctic is crucial to ensure the governance of the Southern Ocean. The continuity of JARPA II -­‐ despite repeated calls by the international community to stop it -­‐ also constitutes a serious threat to the integrity of the lives of people every time the Japanese government's position increases the possibility of generating violent outbreaks in the Southern Ocean to justify the use of aggressive tactics, such as patrol boats and "other measures" that could lead to the loss of human lives. Additionally, the delicate Antarctic ecosystem -­‐ protected under the Antarctic Treaty System -­‐ is once again threatened with the operations of the anachronic and illegal Japanese whaling fleet. In 2007 the factory ship Nisshin Maru caught fire in Southern Ocean waters. As a result, the ship drifted for thirteen days with over a thousand tons of fuel and chemicals, endangering the crew and threatening one of the largest colonies of Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). It is worth noting that since August of this year, measures taken by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) came into place, prohibiting the operation of heavy fuel ships in Antarctic waters, which is the type of fuel used by the Nisshin Maru . However, the Japanese government's announcement does not provide any information about the type of fuel to be used by the vessel during the next "scientific” whaling season. 1
Of all nations that have conducted whaling operations under special permit. As civil society organizations committed to the conservation of the marine environment, the effective conservation of cetaceans, defense of all life forms and peace, we see with deep concern the reprehensible conduct of the government of Japan, which both inside and outside the scope of the meeting of the IWC continues to show its unwillingness to improve the functioning of this important international organization. Consequently, and knowing your commitment with the conservation and respect to norms and international cohabitation, we ask the Buenos Aires Group to urgently take diplomatic actions to reject the recent announcements made by the Japanese government and send a clear and strong public sign of opposition to the slaughter of whales and the possible militarization of Antarctica. Thank you for your kind attention, we look forward to a positive reply to our request. Fundación Cethus Cecilia Gasparrou [email protected] Argentina Fundación Vida Silvestre Pablo Herrera [email protected] Argentina Instituto Baleia Jubarte Marcia Engel [email protected] Brasil Fundación Patagonia Natural Guillermo Caille [email protected] Argentina Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas (ICB) Roxana Schteinbarg [email protected] Argentina Centro Golfinho Rotador Flavio de Lima Silva [email protected] Brasil Centro de Conservación Cetacea Brasil José Truda Palazzo Jr. [email protected] Brasil Centro de Conservación Cetacea Chile Elsa Cabrera info@ccc-­‐chile.org Chile Coalición para el Control Ético de la Fauna Urbana (CEFU) Alejandra Cassino [email protected] Chile Observatorio Latinoamericano de Conflictos Ambientales (OLCA) Lucio Cuenca [email protected] Chile Fundación Malpelo y otros Ecosistemas Marinos Germán Soler [email protected] Colombia Fundación Omacha Fernando Trujillo [email protected] Colombia Centro Ecoceanos Juan Carlos Cárdenas [email protected] Chile Chilesustentable Colombina Schaeffer [email protected] Chile Defensa Ballenas Juan Jiménez Úbeda [email protected] Chile Fundación Melimoyu Carlos Cuevas [email protected] Chile VerDeseo Colombina Schaeffer [email protected] Chile Fundación Madre Tierra Angélica Vásquez [email protected] Colombia Fundación MarViva José Andrés Díaz [email protected] juan Manuel Díaz [email protected] Colombia Fundación Natibo Juan Carlos Isaza [email protected] Colombia Fundación Marybio Els Vermeulen [email protected] Argentina Fundación Yubarta Lilián Flórez-­‐ González [email protected] [email protected] Colombia Fundación Promar Javier Rodríguez Fonseca [email protected] Costa Rica Pacific Whale Foundation Cristina Castro [email protected] Ecuador Fundación Keto Damian Martínez Fernández [email protected] Costa Rica The Leatherback Trust Elizabeth Solano [email protected] Costa Rica Ocean Defenders Nicole Dancosso [email protected] Ecuador Asoc. De Biología Marina (ABIMA) Lucia Gutiérrez [email protected] Guatemala SELVA-­‐Vida Sin Fronteras Mariana Almeida [email protected] Ecuador Humane Society International Latin America(HSI-­‐LA) Cynthia Dent [email protected] Internacional AnimaNaturalis Daniela Romero Waldhorn [email protected] Internacional World Society for the Protection of Animals Latin America (WSPA LA) Marcela Vargas [email protected] Luis Carlos Sarmiento luiscarlossarmiento@wspa-­‐
suramerica.org Internacional CityMar Guadalupe Álvarez Quintana Roo [email protected] México Alma Verde AC Juan Carlos Orduña [email protected] México Comunidad y Biodiversidad AC COBI Andrea Saenz-­‐Arroyo [email protected] Eduardo Rolon [email protected] México Defenders of Wildlife México Juan Carlos Cantu [email protected] México Conservación de Mamíferos Marinos de México (COMARINO) Mercedes Anzures [email protected] México Grupo Ecológico del Mayab Araceli Domínguez [email protected] México Moce Yax Cuxtal A.C. Guadalupe de la Rosa Quintana Roo México Producciones Serengueti Marielena Hoyo Bastien [email protected] México Asociación Ambiental Vida Frank Garita [email protected] Costa Rica Teyeliz, AC María Elena Sánchez [email protected] México Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Latin America (WDCS LA) Vanessa Tossenberger [email protected] Internacional Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, A.C. (CEMDA) Samantha Namnum García [email protected] México Consejo de Desarrollo Holbox A.C. Morelia Montes. México Fundación Haghenbeck de La Lama Cecilia Vega [email protected] México PROANIMAL -­‐ Huellas de Vida/Cancún Mónica Chavarría [email protected] México Comité Ballena Azul Yanina Luna [email protected] Nicaragua Movimiento Jóvenes Ambientalistas Raomir Manzanarez [email protected] Nicaragua Asociación Verde de Panamá (ASVEPA) Gabriel Despaigne [email protected] Panamá Organización Científica para Conservación de Animales Acuáticos (ORCA) Carlos Yaipén-­‐Llanos [email protected] Perú Centro para la Conservación y Ecodesarrollo de Bahía Samana y su Entorno (CEBSE) Patricia Lamelas [email protected] República Dominicana Organización para la Conservación de Cetáceos (OCC) Rodrigo García Píngaro [email protected] Uruguay Amigos Unidos por los Animales (AUPLA) Diego Federico Proverbio [email protected] Uruguay Proyecto Cetáceo Libre Uruguay Lourdes González Dourado [email protected] Diego Proverbio de Freitas [email protected] Uruguay Fundación Ambiental Abrae Beatriz Esté Pérez [email protected] Venezuela Biomarina Venezuela Roberta Crescini [email protected] Neil Castro [email protected] Venezuela Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas de Nueva Esparta (GTTM-­‐NE) / Fundación La Tortuga Angela Arias-­‐Ortiz [email protected] Venezuela Zona Verde Berenice Sulbaran [email protected] Venezuela Áreas Costeras y Recursos Marinos (ACOREMA) Mónica Echegaray Julio Reyes [email protected] Perú Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos Inc. (FUNDEMAR ) Idelisa Bonnelly [email protected] República Dominicana Proyecto Gran Simio Lourdes González Dourado [email protected] Diego Proverbio de Freitas [email protected] Uruguay Fundación Aguaclara María Eugenia Gil [email protected] Venezuela Sociedad Ecológica Venezolana Vida Marina (Sea Vida) Jaime Bolaños [email protected] Venezuela